Replenish and Subdue

Let us take a look at God’s first words to mankind in Eden after he created us in his own image. Within this first scripture are a set of instructions which God gave to us to carry out on the earth.

1. Be fruitful and multiply; to be fruitful is producing good results which are beneficial and profitable and multiply means to increase a number in multiples. Most people limit this term to having children and while this is included within the concept, it does not explain it entirely. Jesus used the parable of the talents to teach the principle of multiplication and increase. Within this teaching he demonstrates how God has entrusted to each of us gifts and talents which he expects us to use to yield an increase (Matthew 25:14-30).

2. Replenish and subdue; Replenish relates to restoration and maintenance while to subdue means to bring under control. God expects us to be as concerned about the environment as the scientists and environmental activists. This describes our role in replenishing the earth by caring about recycling for example. And in this way, we are able to subdue and bring things like natural disasters under control. God created the animal kingdom and wildlife and if we think that God is not concerned about all of his creation then we are mistaken. “And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:25).

3. Have dominion; this is our right to govern and control. Although we are not the largest or the strongest mammals that God created, our mind gives us the ability to outthink every other species. And it is this ability to think, reason and plan which allows us to be able to bring even the fiercest animals under our control.

Having an understanding of the core principles which God created us to walk in, helps us with understanding our purpose and destiny. It is important for us to balance each principle as a greater emphasis on being fruitful for example, without the need to replenish can create imbalance. It is also important for us to understand the times and seasons to know what we are to do.

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

A.P.-Y.